EXCITING opportunities for young people are on offer in the Merkinch area to get involved in two arts and New Media projects in the community. There will be hands-on experience in video, digital photography and possibly other new media.

Ossian is a National Galleries of Scotland Exhibition and Outreach project, which is a partnership with Highland Council. The Exhibition by Calum Colvin “Ossian - Fragments of Ancient Poetry” started earlier this year in Edinburgh and has since toured to several Highland galleries. It is now at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery until 4 October (admission free). The exhibition explores history, culture and identity, addressing contemporary issues in the process. The Outreach project aims to make the exhibition relevant to diverse communities through involving young people in the art-making process. This has already happened in several Highland communities and the results of their work (photographs and video) accompany the main exhibition. The Inverness project takes place in Merkinch in October and video artist Gavin Lockhart will be leading the project to run at least six workshop sessions. The exhibition will be used as a catalyst for the ideas of the participant groups, which are likely to include the mp33 young mothers’ group - they were due to visit the show on 30th September. The participants will explore elements of their own community identity to create elements of a new epic, using video and photography. The end product will be added to the exhibition - meanwhile the participants will have fun in the process.

New Dynamics is a pan-Highland project, which has received special funding from the Scottish Arts Council’s Promotion Inclusion through Public Art Scheme. Seven Social Inclusion areas are involved and the first project starts in Upper Fort William in October. Each area will have a new media artist in residence for three months. Merkinch is again the host community in Inverness and the residency is likely to start in early 2004.
The project will come with some excellent photography, video-making and projection equipment, which is expected to remain in the community at the end of the project. The artist will work with interested young people in the community. In addition a young person will be chosen as a trainee to work alongside the artist and gain real vocational skills. The project is funded by SAC, INE and HC’s Social Inclusion budget. Both projects are managed by Education, Culture & Sport through the Arts Officer, in close partnership with the team at mp33. Enquiries to Roni Smith (Youth Development Officer) 01463 717639 or Adrian Clark (Arts Officer) 01463 724261.